Hoarding or Caching
Hoarding or caching is a general term for a behavior that leads people or animals to accumulate food or other items in
anticipation of future need or scarcity. There is material hoarding and animal hoarding; both are a growing concern in
today’s society.
Hoarding
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Civil unrest or natural disaster may lead people to hoard foodstuffs, water, gasoline, and other essentials which they
believe, rightly or wrongly, will soon be in short supply. Some hoarding in humans may be a form of mental illness,
specifically obsessive-compulsive disorder where the perceived importance of the hoarded items far exceeds their true
value. In severe cases, houses belonging to such people may become a fire hazard - due to blocked exits and
stacked papers or a health hazard - due to vermin infestation, animal excretion, debris from excessive pets, hoarded
food and garbage or the risk of stacks of items collapsing on the occupants and blocking egress paths.
Here are some items to consider in identifying a hoarding situation and the steps to take in approaching the clean-up;
Awareness is the key.
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Establish routine periodic visits to the property. Internal observation for early signs of accumulation. Regular services
to the renter like, changing the air filter, can be a reason to approach the inside of the property discreetly.
Communicate to your vendors that provide services to the property for early detection and awareness.
Review lease agreements to protect yourself and the
property as it relates to hoarding. Language that clearly
defines, fire hazard and health risks. These are critical
eliminates in dealing with a hoarding situation. Since
hoarding is not clearly defined, yet recognized, it is
important when dealing with the person that you have a
clear understanding as to the violation that is or has
occurred on the property.
Lack of “outside” presence from the occupant. Many
hoarders can suffer from depression or a compelling event
that has occurred in their life. They may become a “shut-in”
through the process and start to accumulate.
The clean-up process can involve toxic items and
substances that only a professional is equipped to handle.
Identify a vendor that is certified in areas of cleaning that may be involved. The handling of such clean-up will affect
the environment of the property moving forward
In many cases the process can be one of great despair and even embarrassment for the occupant. This is a critical step
in gaining the trust and acceptance of the hoarder to proceed with a clean-up strategy. After all it is their property. A
compassionate cleaning vendor can help the process along and move it to completion for all parties involved.
Cost – who pays can be a real issue when dealing with the clean-up of a hoarding situation. Work with a vendor that
can communicate and document , up-front, the cost to all parties for agreement.
There can be several layers (processes) to the clean-up and future maintenance in a hoarding case. Both in dealing
with the individual and the property. It is not as simple as just, “throwing things away”. In establishing the necessary
steps to fully clean and re-process a property for the next occupant or the current occupant can involve cleaning
standards that are utilized by a certified cleaning and restoration company. Additionally, a vendor that will work with
you and the occupant toward a common resolve.
References:
www.mayoclinic.com
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Compulsive_hoarding
www.ocfoundation.org
www.fairhousingcoach.com
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